Damper



Get. 6, 1936. H. scHAAF .2,056,410

DAMPER Filed oct. 19, 1955 7 z'sheets-sneet 2 [NVE/wok; Hts-MAN 56h/AAF A TTURNE Y Patented Oct. 6, 1936 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFISE Claims.

This invention relates to furnace or heater constructions, and is more particularly concerned with the damper mechanism, mountings therefor, and associated control devices.

At the present time there is available on the market a well-known type of furnace structure which includes a so-called gas passage in the upper part of the furnace above the firepot, and this gas passage leads to a connection which is connected with a smokestack or other passage through which the smoke is passed.

In this type of furnace construction it has been the practice to locate the damper in this smokestacl: connection, or at other places in the furnace, and it has also been common practice to associate with the roof or top structure of the furnace a so-called check damper for admitting cold air above the repot when it is desired to check or deaden the fire.

Another feature of this now Well-known type of furnace construction with which this invention is concerned, is the fact that it includes a top structure that embodies a lid as an individual element.

With the foregoing features which are characteristic of this Well-known type of furnace structure in mind, this invention has in view, as an important object, the provision of a furnace structure of the character described which 30 includes damper mechanism that is operatively associated with the gas passage that is disposed directly above the repot.

In carrying out this idea in a practical embodiment, this invention contemplates a unitary :'55 damper assembly which is carried by the lid of the furnace top. With this arrangement the damper mechanism and lid may be properly assembled prior to positioning of the lid in the furnace structure, after which the latter opera- 40 tion may be carried out to insure a proper positioning of the damper in a place which effectively controls drafts of air through the iirepot.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide, in a furnace structure of 5 the character described, a lid which includes a check damper for admitting cold air above the repot.

In furtherance of the idea of having the lid 'embody a unitary damper assembly, this inven- 50 tion contemplates the location of the check damper in the lid in addition to the other regular damper mechanism.

Another important object of the invention is to provide, in a furnace structure of the char- 55 acter described, which includes a lid in the top thereof, a damper which is hingedly mounted on an axis below the lid, together with means for swinging the damper into various effective positions.

More in detail, this invention has, as an imu portant objective, the provision of operating means for the damper, and which operating means include friction devices for maintaining the damper in any adjusted position.

Still another object of the present invention is l0 to provide damper mechanism of the character described, a hinged damper for controlling the gas passage of a i'lrepot, together with mechanism for operating the hinged damper, and which mechanism includes suitable indicia for l5 indicating the opened condition of the damper,

Various other more detailed objects and advantages will in part become apparent and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention, therefore, comprises a furnace structure including a gas passage for the firepot, and a lid in the top of the furnace above the gas passage, and which lid has suspended therefrom a hinged mounting which carries a damper assembly as well as devices for operating the damper to move it into various effective positions. Ihe latter devices also include friction means for maintaining the damper in any adjusted position, as well as indicia for indicating in just what position the damper is. The lid also includes a check damper together with 0perating means therefor.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side View partly in section and partly in elevation of the furnace embodying damper mechanism made in accordance with the precepts of this invention,

Figure 2 is a detail plan View of the lid which is included in the top structure of the furnace,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view in elevation of the lid shown in Figure 2; this view is 45 taken looking in the direction of the arrow marked 3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a detail showing in side elevation of the lid and damper mechanism suspended therefrom, While Figure 5 is a view taken at right angles to that shown at Figure 4, but of the same mechanism,

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view in perspective of the friction member which maintains the damper in adjusted position, and

Figure '7 is an enlarged detail perspective of the arrow constituting a part of the indicia.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, a furnace of the type with which this invention is concerned is referred to generally by the reference character A, and is shown as including a gas passage B which is disposed above the repot (not shown). The gas passage B opens into a compartment dened by the top structure designated generally C which is formed with an opening at I 9 which is circular in formation and which ordinarily is closed by a lid referred to generally by the reference character D.

At the rear of the furnace the top Structure C may be provided with a connection at E for conductively connecting a smokestack thereto.

In accordance with this invention the various damper mechanisms which are intended as a controlling means for the fire in the furnace A are carried by the lid D which is intended to be installed as a unit with these damper mechanisms attached thereto. After installation, the lid D may be maintained in position by fastening devices indicated at I Depending from the underside of the lid D is a hanger I2 in the form of a bracket having arms I3 which are enlarged at their extremities, as indicated at I4, and the enlarged portions are provided with openings through which extends a shaft I5. Damper members designated I6 and are formed with ears I8, all of which are provided with openings through which the shaft I5 extends. Suitable means for preventing disassembly of the shaft I5, hanger arms I3 and ears |8 may be provided in the form of cotter pins, shown at I9.

As illustrated in Figure 5, the hanger I2 may be secured to the underside of the lid D by rivets shown at 28. The lid D is provided with a socalled dome, which is shown at 2| as being made integral with the lid, although the invention is not to be limited in this respect. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, this dome 2| is of a semicylindrical construction, and has a front face 22 that is provided with suitable indicia indicated at 23, which serves a purpose to be later described.

The dome 2| also includes a rear wall 24 that is slightly enlarged, as shown at 25, and formed with an opening at 26 which is in alignment with a similar opening 2'| formed in the front wall 22. A shaft 28 extends through the openings 26 and 2l, and projects a considerable distance beyond the wall 22 where it is provided with operating means in the form of a handwheel 29 that is nonrotatably connected to the Yshaft in any preferred manner.

Interiorly of the dome 2| a pair of crank arms 39 and 3| ar-e nonrotatably affixed to the shaft 28, as by set screws, one of which is indicated at 32. The extremities of the crank arms 30 and 3| are bifurcated, as shown at 33, and received in the bifurcations 33 are the extremities of links 34 and 35. As shown in Figure 5, a pin 36 extends through each of the crank arms, and its respective link, the ends of the pin being expanded to assure permanence of the pivotal connection.

As shown clearly in Figures 4 and 5, the damper member I6 is formed with an ear 31 that is provided with an opening through which extends a pin 38 which pin also extends through a similar opening in the extremity of the link 34. Likewise, the damper member is provided with an ear 3S that has an opening through which extends a pin 49 that also passes through a similar opening in the lower extremity of the link 35.

It is evident that rotation of the shaft 28 under influence of the handwheel 29, will cause a turning of the arms 39 and 3| to assert a pull on the links 34, 35 whereby the damper members i6 and are swung upwardly into a position such as that indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 4.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 5, 6, and '7, a friction device for maintaining the dampers in any adjusted position is shown in the form of a friction disk 4| that is carried by a cage 42 that is positioned about the shaft 28, the disk 4| being adapted for frictional engagement with the face 22 of the dome 2|.

The cage 42 is provided with a tubular extension at 43 that defines a flanged surface 44 against which abuts one end of a coil spring shown at 45. The other extremity of the coil spring 45 bears against a flange 46 that is defined on the handwheel 29 by a tubular extension 4l.

Carried by the shaft 28, but interiorly of the cage 42, is a hub member 48 which is nonrotatably affixed to the shaft 28, as by a set screw 49, and this hub member projects through a s1ot`59 provided in the cage member 42. Extending from the hub member 48 is an indicator or arrow 5| which cooperates with the indicia 23 on the front face 22 of the dome member 2| to indicate the position of the dampers.

It is evident that the spring 45 affects the cage 42 to urge the friction disk 4| against the front face 22 of the dome 2| to create suhicient friction to cause the shaft 28 to stay in any position in which it may be adjusted by the turning of the handwheel 29. The frictional effects of the disk 4I are supplemented by the frictional engagement of the crank arm 30 with the rear face of the front wall 22. At the same time that the spring 45 urges the friction disk 4| against the front face of the wall 22, it exerts a pull on the shaft 28 to cause the crank arm 3|) to engage the rear wall. This adjustment is carried out by exerting suflicient force to overcome the effect of this friction disk 4|.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the lid D is also shown as including a check damper which is referred to by the reference character 52. This check damper 52 cooperates with an opening dened by the outer end of an upraised portion 53 formed on the lid D to either shut off or admit cold air to the interior of the furnace A above the iirebox therein.

The check damper 52 may be carried by an arm 54 that is non-rotatably affixed to a shaft 55 that extends through ears 56 formed on the lid D. Suitable hand-operating devices for causing rotation of the shaft 55 to open and close the damper 52 may be provided, although they are not here shown as they do not form a part of this invention.

As shown in Figure l, the damper members |6 and when in their fully extended position, substantially close the gas passage B, and they may be swung upwardly by the mechanism above described to open this passage to any desired extent.

In the actual assembly of one of the furnaces made in accordance with this invention, all of the damper mechanism hereinbefore described is first assembled on the lid D after which the latter is installed in the opening I6 and securely fastened therein by the fastening devices A handwheel 29 may now'be availed of to onerate the damper members I6 and I 1 as occasion demands, and the effective positions of the latter will always be indicated by the arrow I and indicia 23, Whenever it is 'desired to deaden or check the fire in the furnace A the check damper 52 may be opened by causing rotation of the shaft 55.

While a preferred specific embodiment of the invention is herein set forth, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the exact construction illustrated and described, as various modications of these details may be provided in putting this invention into practice, within the purview of the appended claims.

I claimt- 1. Damper mechanism of the character described comprising a lid, a dome carried by the lid, a shaft extending through said dome, a crank arm in the dome carried by the shaft, a. link connected to said crank arm, a damper member connected to said link, and means for hingedly mounting the damper member to the underside of the lid.

2. Damper mechanism of the character described comprising a lid, a dom-e carried by the lid, a shaft extending through Said dome, a crank arm in the dome carried by the shaft, a link connected to said crank arm, a damper member connected to said link, means for hingedly mounting the damper member in operative position, said last mentioned means consisting of a bracket carried by the lid on the underside thereof together with a shaft extending through the arms of the bracket, and ears on the damper.

3. Damper mechanism of the character described comprising a lid formed with a dome, a bracket carried on the underside of the lid, damper members hingedly carried by the bracket, links connected to each of said damper members, crank arms connected to each of said links, a shaft extending through the dome and carrying the crank arms in the dome, and indicia means associated with said shaft and dome for indicating the positions of the dampers.

4. Damper mechanism of the character described comprising a lid formed with a dome, a bracket carried on the underside of the lid, damper members hingedly carried by the bracket, links connected toeach of said damper members, crank arms connected to each of said links, a shaft extending through the dome and carrying the crank arms in the dome, an operating member for said shaft, and friction devices for maintaining the dampers in adjusted positions.

5. Damper mechanism of the character described comprising a lid formed with a dome, a bracket carried on the underside of the lid, damper members hingedly carried by the bracket, links connected to each of said damper members, crank arms connected to each of said links, a shaft extending through the dome and carrying the crank arms in the dome, an operating member for said shaft, friction devices for maintaining the dampers in adjusted positions, said friction devices consisting of a friction disk bearing against the outer face of the dome, and a spring interposed between the friction disk and the operating member.

HERMAN SCHAAF. 

